Can Missy achieve seven golds at Swim Worlds?

American teenager sensation Missy Franklin was born to make headlines.

No woman has yet won seven golds at a single World championship but Franklin, has the time and talent to push the boundaries further.

But for now, Franklin is gunning for the fifth gold and can match the record for gold medals at single World championships if she wins her fifth.

Franklin was not lucky to strike a gold in the women's 100 metres freestyle at the world championships in Barcelona on Friday night. Cate Campbell of Australia bagged the top honours while the American teenager who has four golds this week, stood fourth.

The 18-year-old, who already has two relay titles and golds in 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke at the hilltop Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona and is seeking to replicate a feat first achieved by compatriot Tracy Caulkins in 1978 and later by Lisbeth Trickett of Australia in 2007, with two more events to go.

"Couldn't be happier with results from today!" tweeted Franklin said after bagging the fourth gold medal on Thursday night.

It seems Franklin can't wait to get in the water for more glory.

The swimming world needs her. She has this poster-girl image and it will be a boos6t to swimming in the post-Phelps era.

Franklin was calling the women's 100 metres freestyle as the "hardest final" and it proved to be so as she failed to secure a podium finish. she will still have another two events to equal or break the record before racing ends on Sunday.

No matter what, she will go down of the biggest stars of this meet.

Franklin was fifth-fastest in Thursday's 100 freestyle semi-finals with a time of 53.78 seconds, slower than the personal best of 53.36 she swam in the morning qualifying session.

"If I can go a 52 that's my goal," Franklin told reporters after anchoring the US to 4x200 freestyle gold.

"I want a 52 more than anything and if it puts me on the podium then that's awesome and if it doesn't that's okay. I think it's going to be a super fast final."